A5009875303- Animal Behavior and Reproduction
- Primate Behavior and Ecology
- Animal Vocal Communication and Behavior
- Amphibian and Reptile Biology
- Marine animal studies overview
- Child and Animal Learning Development
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Avian ecology and behavior
- Genetic diversity and population structure
- Animal Behavior and Welfare Studies
- Animal and Plant Science Education
- Wildlife Conservation and Criminology Analyses
- Evolutionary Psychology and Human Behavior
- Bioinformatics and Genomic Networks
- Neurobiology and Insect Physiology Research
- Mosquito-borne diseases and control
- Cognitive and developmental aspects of mathematical skills
- Memory and Neural Mechanisms
- Tactile and Sensory Interactions
- Olfactory and Sensory Function Studies
- Human-Animal Interaction Studies
- Bat Biology and Ecology Studies
- Experimental Behavioral Economics Studies
- Decision-Making and Behavioral Economics
- Behavioral and Psychological Studies
University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna
2015-2024
University of Vienna
2015-2023
Medical University of Vienna
2016-2021
University of Auckland
2010-2017
Controlled studies that focus on intraspecific cooperation tasks have revealed striking similarities, but also differences, in abilities across taxa as diverse primates, fish, and birds. Such comparisons may provide insight into the specific socio-ecological selection pressures led to evolution of cooperation. Unfortunately, however, compared primates data birds remain relatively scarce. We tested a New Zealand psittaciform, kea, dyadic task using loose-string design. During trials our...
Abstract Allogrooming in primates serves not only a hygienic function, but also plays crucial role maintaining strong affiliative bonds between group members, which turn, underpin the emergence of cooperative behavior. In contrast, although allopreening occurs many avian species, we know little about its social functions. Our study addresses this issue by investigating broad comparative data set including six corvid and nine parrot species. We assessed whether rates initiations, proportion...
A range of non-human animals frequently manipulate and explore objects in their environment, which may enable them to learn about physical properties potentially form more abstract concepts such as weight rigidity. Whether can apply the information learned during exploration solve novel problems, however, whether they actually change exploratory behaviour seek functional have not been fully explored. We allowed kea ( Nestor notabilis ) New Caledonian crows Corvus moneduloides sets both...
The ability to forego an immediate reward in favor of a bigger or better one at later point has been linked with advanced cognitive skills, such as impulse control and forward-planning, can be assessed by the classic food exchange paradigm. While perform tasks long regarded exclusive trait humans some mammals, that is, primates dogs, recent years bird species have found similarly primates. Here we test 10 captive kea (Nestor notabilis), using paradigm standardized earlier experiments, but...
Abstract The unique alpine-living kea parrot Nestor notabilis has been the focus of numerous cognitive studies, but its communication system so far largely neglected. We examined 2,884 calls recorded in New Zealand’s Southern Alps. Based on audio and visual spectrographic differences, these were categorised into seven distinct call types: non-oscillating ‘screech’ contact ‘mew’; oscillating ‘trill’, ‘chatter’, ‘warble’ ‘whistle’; a hybrid ‘screech-trill’. Most contained aspects that...
The midsession reversal paradigm confronts an animal with a two-choice discrimination task where the reward contingencies are reversed at midpoint of session. Species react to either win-stay/lose-shift, using local information reinforcement, or estimation, global information, e.g. time, estimate point reversal. Besides pigeons, only mammalian species were tested in this so far and analyses conducted on pooled data, not considering possible individually different responses. We twelve kea...
Abstract Previous studies showed that kea are able to cooperate in experiments based on the loose‐string paradigm, but success rates were low, except when tested stable dyads. We trained with low attend handling of string by a human partner. This vastly improved subsequent coordination during cooperation partners. Furthermore, we dyads delayed entry set‐up (delays 2, 4 or 6 s) and two different lengths string. Increasing length delay reducing had negative effects rate. suggests complete...
Abstract Although pictures are widely used as stimuli in cognitive experiments with both humans and animals, the question of how subjects interpret receives less attention. Gaining a better understanding this is especially important when working avian subjects, their visual anatomy processing different from that humans, even differs one species to another. Successful testing for picture recognition birds has been carried out mainly pigeons, but no such research explicitly performed ‘brainy’...
Categorizing individuals on the basis of familiarity is an adaptive way dealing with complexity social environment. It requires use conceptual and considered higher order learning. Although, it common among many species, ecological need might require facilitate individual differentiation heterospecifics. This may be true for laboratory populations just as much domesticated species those that live in urban contexts. However, exception a few studies, animals have generally been given less...
Abstract Social learning is an important aspect of dealing with the complexity life. The transmission information via observation other individuals a cost-effective way acquiring information. It widespread within animal kingdom but may differ strongly in social mechanisms applied by divergent species. Here we tested eighteen Kea ( Nestor notabilis ) parrots on their propensity to socially learn, and imitate, demonstrated sequence steps necessary open apparatus containing food. demonstration...
Big Team Science (BTS) has the potential to reshape comparative cognition research, but its implementation—especially making comparisons species-fair, handling multi-site variation, and reaching researcher consensus—poses daunting challenges. Here, we propose solutions discuss how BTS can transform field.
Social learning is an adaptive way of dealing with the complexity life as it reduces risk trial-and-error learning. Depending on type information acquired, and associations formed, several mechanisms within larger taxonomy social can be distinguished. Imitation one such process this taxonomy, considered cognitively demanding associated high-fidelity response matching. The present study reproduced a 2002 conducted by Heyes Saggerson, which successfully illustrated motor imitation in...
Vocal communication requires the sender to produce a sound, which transmits through environment and is perceived by receiver. Perception dependent on quality of received signal receiver's frequency amplitude sensitivity; hearing sensitivity animals can be tested using behavioural detection tasks, showing physical limitations sound perception. Kea parrots (Nestor notabilis) were for their ability hear sounds that varied in terms both means simple auditory task. Audiograms three kea similar,...
Abstract Rooks, Eurasian jays and NC crows have already solved the Aesop’s fable paradigm, using stones to raise a water level get previously out of reach reward. Here we test kea parrots on their understanding displacement. In Experiment 1, they preferentially chose water-filled tube over two solid substrates (sand, rocks) within 5 trials. 2, generalised novel coloured in first trial. 3, confronted with tubes, one which was made unsolvable by preventing from rising, none managed solve task....
This study investigates vocal development of nestling kea parrots (Nestor notabilis). First, we examine how many structurally distinct call types were present during the period, and age in which occurred. Based on studies with other avian species, predicted that nestlings would have multiple types, some at hatching others emerging later period. Results showed four two hatching, when undergo large physical changes second week life. While developed gradually towards more adult-like structures,...
Abstract Animal cooperation in the wild often involves multiple individuals that must tolerate each other close proximity. However, most experiments lab are done with two animals, also physically separated. Such useful for answering some pertinent questions, example about understanding of role partner and strategies control, but say little factors determining successful partners group settings. We explored influence dominance, rank distance, tolerance, affiliation, coordination by testing...
Social learning describes the acquisition of knowledge through observation other individuals, and it is fundamental for development culture traditions within human groups. Although previous studies suggest that Kea (
Vocal behaviour of nesting altricial birds is subject to selection pressure from several sources. Offspring beg attract parents’ attention, thus increasing the chances being fed, but also detected by predators. Research on passerines has shown that parents may reduce risk nest predation alarm calling warn nestlings be quiet, and producing food calls which solicit begging when are present defend nestlings. Both predator detection low amplitude high entropy acoustically difficult locate....